Member profile: From steward to supervisor back to steward
Richard Hall has been the boss & now he is happy Local 1000 'has my back' againRichard Hall has seen both sides of union representation as a state employee - and he likes the view of the table as a Local 1000 steward the best.
After years of working as a supervising nurse in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Hall requested a demotion last year to return to work as a front-line nurse. He also quickly returned to being a steward and enjoys representation so much that in April, he was granted union leave to work full-time for the Union Resource Center's (URC) Fresno office. URC union representatives handle representation issues for members ranging from minor matters such as helping with benefit-related paperwork to major issues such as disciplinary hearings, grievances and unfair labor practice charges.
"I feel like I can do more good for people doing representation on the union side than I could ever do working as a supervisor," Hall said. "My job is to help solve problems, to fix things and to make everyone's day go a little smoother. I feel like I am in a strong position to really help our members."
"I know the mind of the manager," Hall added. "I know what they are thinking. If you know their next move, you have an advantage over them."
Winning back pay for members
In May, he was able to win back pay for 27 CDCR employees who were not receiving extra payments for accepting transfers, including some who did not realize they were being shortchanged until Hall pressed their case. The victory helped validate his decision to work full-time on union representation.
"I speak the same language as the supervisors - I disagree with them, but I understand the world they operate in," Hall said. "This gives me kind of a 360 degree view of problems that is really helpful in representation."
A native of Long Beach who served in the Coast Guard on a helicopter rescue team, Hall loves to help people. After attending college, he began working for the state in 2003 and became a steward. He took a break to return to college and then he worked as an emergency room nurse. Since 2007, he has worked for the CDCR at prisons in Tehachapi and San Luis Obispo.
Hall spent more than three years as a supervisor - and he grew frustrated with his job and felt like he could not improve things. He asked for the demotion because the job stress was interfering with his family life.
"When I was a supervisor, I felt totally alone," Hall said. "As a union member, I feel like there are 95,000 people who have my back."
"I know the mind of the manager," Hall added. "I know what they are thinking. If you know their next move, you have an advantage over them."
Winning back pay for members
In May, he was able to win back pay for 27 CDCR employees who were not receiving extra payments for accepting transfers, including some who did not realize they were being shortchanged until Hall pressed their case. The victory helped validate his decision to work full-time on union representation.
"I speak the same language as the supervisors - I disagree with them, but I understand the world they operate in," Hall said. "This gives me kind of a 360 degree view of problems that is really helpful in representation."
A native of Long Beach who served in the Coast Guard on a helicopter rescue team, Hall loves to help people. After attending college, he began working for the state in 2003 and became a steward. He took a break to return to college and then he worked as an emergency room nurse. Since 2007, he has worked for the CDCR at prisons in Tehachapi and San Luis Obispo.
Hall spent more than three years as a supervisor - and he grew frustrated with his job and felt like he could not improve things. He asked for the demotion because the job stress was interfering with his family life.
"When I was a supervisor, I felt totally alone," Hall said. "As a union member, I feel like there are 95,000 people who have my back."
